Cures or effective drug treatments for cancer have been elusive. Much of the obstacles lie in the lack of a specific cancer target and the fact that cancer cells mutate and change frequently. While no immediate relief is in sight despite the advent of genomics technologies, it seems logical to go after the cancers with a known cause: cancers caused by viruses.

This month, a vaccine for human papillomavirus developed by Merck showed a surprising efficacy in protecting recipients from the viral infections and the associated cervical cancer. While scientists and the pharmaceutical industry deserve credit for beginning to ... Read more